Welcome to delicious Destinations, a GourmetStation blog. Through the charater of T.Alexander and occasional real-life guests, our aim is to share with you light-hearted fun ideas about food, gift giving, entertaining and culture. At the same time we would love you hear from you. Please share your experiences from home or abroad.

Thanks to our friends at Boca Party Supplies for planting an idea that my readers might find useful. Let’s talk about RSVP – what it really means and how you might use it for holiday gatherings or possibly Christmas dinner.

RSVP means "réspondez, s'il vous plaît," in French – English? Reply please. According to the Boca Party Supplies tips page, here’s how the term RSVP came a about?

According to historians, In the late 17th century, King Louis XIV had a list of rules for court behavior called “tickets” or "étiquette". He posted them on signs around his Versailles palace and printed them on the backs of invitations to court events. At that time French was considered the language of high society and refined manners. So these rules were adopted as etiquette in early America and still influence our behavior at formal gatherings throughout much of the western world today.

I have a tendency to want to buck social rules if you know what I mean, but this is one I pay attention to. After all the hosts need to know how many people to plan for. They need to know how much food to prepare, how much space they need, etc. Your quick reply shows your respect for them and their invitation. Happy holidays.